Hangar



H. CURRAN May ll2, 1942.

HANGAR Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE mean Hugh cunas, Bakersfield cam. Application November 6, 1941, Serial No.l 417,979

(c1. isa-1.5)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in hangars for housing aircraft. My invention provides a novel hangar construction in which practically all of the covered space is usefully available and readily accessible for the primary objective of housing aircraft. Further advantages foundation construction is not required.

Recent increases in the numberand scope of distribution of airplanes in the fleldof both military and civil aeronautica havefor some time created a demand for an aircraft housing structure adapted for housing a relatively small number of aircraft but which would nevertheless permit practically all of the covered space to be usefully available and readilyaccesslble, yet which would not require the use of expensive and complicated specially prepared foundations nor the use of structural shapes other than those readily available.

In the field of civil aeronautics the development and rapidly increasing distribution of small l airplanes which do not require extensive landing space has created a tendency away from centralized housing at relatively large airports with the inconvenience and congestion resulting from their use. this tendency toward decentralization has been -even more marked and the resultant problem is even more acute than in the field of civil aeronautics because of the circumstance that a relatively high concentration of such decentralized housing structures may be needed in a given locality at one time and in another locality at another time. However, an unreasonable economic burden would result from any attempt simultaneously to provide such a high concentration of decentralized housing structures in all localities where there is a probability that the need there- In the eld of military aeronautics concentration of such housing structures. wThe adaptability of my improved structure to manufacture by quantity production methods and in particular its adaptability to prefabrication into a relatively small number of readily transportable structural umts which may be quickly assembled by unskilled labor makes feasible' the erection of a large number of such housing structures in a minimum period of time and at a minimum of expense in 'any one locality. Likewise, it makes feasible the dismantling of such structures into readily transportable structural units, their transportation, and their re-assembly in another locality as the need therefor should arise, all with a minimum of time, expense, effort and confusion.

'Ihe assembled housing structure of my invention is polygonal inplan, preferably octagonal,

and it employs no vertical roof supports at the periphery thus providing a maximum of accessibility. 'Ihe roof-covering, comprising several similar series of panels, is supported on a plurality of tapered lattice girders which are attached to and radiate from a central mast at equally spaced angular intervals. 'I'hese tapered roof-carrying girders are so shaped and so attached to the central mast that their lower edges will lie in a horizontal plane. Auxiliary support for the radial roof-carrying girders is furnished by an auxiliary column positioned roughly midway between the central mast and the outer extremity of each alternate radial girder, preferably somewhat closer to the outer extremity than to the central mast, and byhorizontal lattice girders extending between auxiliary supporting columns and attached thereto adjacent their 11pper ends.

In the preferredl octagonal construction, support from the ground, that is from the foundations, is furnished only at five points; namely at the lower ends of the central mast and four auxiliary supporting columns'.- The lower end of the central mast and the lower ends of the auxiliary columns are preferably fitted with anges. These flanges are drilled to receive' the bolts by which the entire roof-supporting structure is attached tothe' foundations.

for might arise. 'I'he novel hangar construction In the preferred foundation construction concrete piers are spaced to register generally with the central vmast and with the auxiliary supporting columns, and relatively short sections of.

2 A o ends of the central mast and auxiliary supporting columns. The flanges which thus forma part of the foundations and those'attached to the lower ends of the central mast and supporting columns are drilled to receive connecting bolts v at intervals spaced in all. instances to register' with a standard gage. This arrangement not only provides firm support and anchorage for the roof-supporting vstructure but vit has the ad' on, irrespective of whether the material for the radial girders are punched or drilled to provide superstructures is derived from storage, from new f construction or from the dismantling of a previously erected building, will not encounter dimculties' or delays occasioned by failure of foundation bolts to register with iianges carried by the `mast and auxiliary supporting columns.

My invention will be further described with assigne d l l the former inthe same horizontalfplaagije upper surfaces of the nanges l. v

The tapered radial roof-supporting girders also are prefabricated and advantageously of welded construction. The depth of these tapered radial girders at their wide ends corresponds with the distancebetween the upper surfaces of the anges I- and 5. The web on the top member is cut away as shown at 2I in Fig. 4 and the extended top flange is bent downwardly to a plane parallel with the plane of the iiange on the lower member as illustrated at 22 in Fig. 4. The upper and lower flanges of the tapered a series of holes spacedl to match a corresponde -l ing series of holes in the flanges 5 and l as shown in Fig. 7. l A similar series of holes is provided in flanges I and 5 at intervals equally illustrate one preferred form of hangar construcforming part of the auxiliary supporting means.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of one of the tapered radial roof-supporting girders. Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial vertical section along line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is plan view of one or the roof.panels. Fig. 7 is -an enlarged detail showing 'the arrangement for attaching theradial girders to the flanges on the /central mast.

spaced angularly about the axis of the central mas upper and lower members of the radial girders 20 Is such that the lower edges 0f these radial girders will lie in a horizontal plane when the girders are attached at their wide ends to the central mast. The lower flanges of alternate radial girders should beprovided with holes --spaced to register with a corresponding series oi holes in the flanges 8. The lower iiange of each of the remaining radial girders should be pro-v vided with a series of holes spaced to match a corresponding series of holes in the upper ange of one of the horizontal lattice girders I'G adjacent the mid-point of the latter.

The roof covering comprises a cap 21 and eight v. tively long outer channel member 23, a rela- Referring toFlgs. 1 ancl` 2, the central mast I mayy comprise a hollow cylindrical column. conveniently two sections of lstandard -pipe 2 'and 3 joined by a flanged connection l. The central mast4 is providedwith ilanges 5 and i at'the upper end land lower end, respectively. If desired, asingle pipe may be employed and an intermediate flange attachedthereto, as by welding, at a substantial distance below its upper end in a position corresponding to the 'anged connection 4. The main body of the auxiliary columns 1 advantageously may also be formed of standard pipe of the desired length and diameter and each auxiliary column also isv provided with iianges 8 ands at its upper'end and lower end, respectively. The central. mast I1 and the auxiliary columns 'I are` positioned vertically by attachment of the iiangos I and l to the flanges I0 and I I which form a part of'the foundation` structure. Flanges I|| and II are attached t0 relatively short pipe sections I2 and I 3, respectively, which are embedded in theA foundation' piersr I4 and I5, respectively.

Horizontal lattice girders Idextend' between and are attached to theupper ends of adjacent auxiliary supporting columns. The horizontal lattice girders I6 are prefabricated and advantageously of welded construction; The outwardly extending ii'anges of its end members I'I and mit attachment of girders II to the auxiliary supporting 'columns 1 with theupper surfaces, oi

ltively short inner channel 24, two side channels 25 and a plate 26. The yside channels 25 are inclined rwith respectto each other at an angle corresponding to the angle between the top lmembers of adjacent tapered radial girders. The distance between the parallel sides of the plate 26 substantially exceeds the distance between the outer edges of the parallel channels 23 and 24.

- tremities.

At its wideend the plate 26 extends beyond the outer edge of the channel 23 and is raised so as to. overlie the plate of an adjacent panel. The length Vof the outer edge of the outer channel of the longest panel of each series correholes in the topflanges of .the radial girders.

Likewise the web of the inner channel of each panel of a series except the shortest is drilled or punched to match a. corresponding series of holes in the web of the outer channel of the next narrower panel.

Where the climatic conditions make it desirable to provide for enclosure at the periphery,

closure may be provided by a series of accordion- One suitable arrangement is dia- Y type doors. grammatically illustrated in Fig.' 1 where one such door is shown in the closed position at 28 and another in an open position at 29. 'I'hese doors advantageously maybe suspended from The relationship of the length of the rollers fitted to traverse a track interiorly. One track member is -shown at 33 in Fig. 5. 'The since engine operatingtime during the warming up period as well as flying time is included in determining the period between engine overhauls. A system of heaters suitable for this purpose may comprise a down-draft space heater supported from 'the lower edge 'of each alternate radial girder near the outer extremity thereof as illustrated diagrammatically at 3| in Figs. 1 and 2. The position of each down-draft heater should be such as to lie directly above the engine of an aircraft as illustrated in Fig. 2. The heating elements of the down-draft space heaters advantageously may be heated either by electricity or by the circulation of Vhot water from a centrally located water heater of conventional design. Canvas ducts 32 may depend from the of the iloor area included between the radial' girders that overlie adjacent auxiliary supporting columns and the outer extremity of the intervening radial girder, rather closely conforms with that occupied by an airplane of conventional design as illustrated by the airplane shown in outline at 33 in Figs. 1 and 2. The relativelysmall floor area between projections of alternate girders adjacent the central mast, which is not available for the primary objective of housing airplanes, may, if desired, be enclosed to provide an interior room adapted for a centralheating system, for storage for spare parts, or the like.

The external appearance of hangars constructed in accordance with my invention, by reason of their general shape, their freedom from externally visible supporting trusses or cables, and the circumstance that the wall and roof coverings comprise a relatively small number of elements of considerable area, is such as to be readily susceptible to camouflage. Indeed a consid- `erable degree of camouilage may be provided for prior to assembly merely by suitable coloring ofthe doors and roof panels.

While the novel housing structures of my invention are designed and intended primarily to provide for low cost decentralized aircraft housing, it will be apparent that they can be usefully employed for many other purposes.

I claim: c

1. A structure for housing aircraft comprising.

a central mast, a plurality of similar radially disposed tapered roof-carrying lattice girders attached at their wide ends to said mast at elevations vertically spaced apart a substantial distance, said radial girders being positioned to extend outwardly from said mast at intervals equally spaced angularly around said mast and with their lower edges in a horizontal plane, a covering mounted on the upper edges of said radial girders and supported thereby, and auxiliary supporting means for said radial'girders consisting of a vertical auxiliary column positioned under and extending 'upwardly' to each alternate radial girder at a point positioned approximately midway between said central mast and the outer end of the radial girder, and horizontal lattice girders y radial girders disposed between the auxiliary supporting columns.

2. A structure for housing aircraft comprising a central mast, eight similar radially disposed tapered roof-'carryingl lattice girders attached at their wide ends to said mast at elevations 'spaced apart a substantial distance, said radial girders being positioned to extend outwardly from saidi mast at angularly spaced intervals of degrees and with their lower edges in a horizontal plane, a covering mounted on the upper edges of said. radial girders and supported thereby, and auxiliary supporting means for said radial girders consisting of a vertical auxiliary column positioned under and extending upwardly to each alternate radial girder at a point positioned approximately midway between said central mast and the outer end of theradial girder, and horizontal lattice girders extending between and secured to the upper portions of adjacent auxiliary columns, whereby the upper edges of said horizontal lattice girders furnish auxiliary support'for thelower edges of' the radial girders disposed between the auxiliary supporting columns.

3. In a ystructure of the class described the combination of a vertically disposed central mast having outwardly extending flanges at its upper and lower ends and at an intermediate point I spaced a substantial distance below its upper end, a plurality of similar radially disposed tapered roof-carrying lattice girders each having an upper and lower member spaced apart at the wide end of the girder a distance corresponding to the distance between the top flange and the intermediate ange on said central mast, means for attaching the'wide ends of said radial girders to the central mast at the top and intermediate ilanges thereof with the tapered outwardly extending ends of said radial girders spaced at equal angular intervals around the central mast and with the loweredges of said radial girders in a horizontal plane, a covering mounted on the upper edges of said radial girdersand supported thereby, auxiliary supporting means for said radial girders consisting of a vertical auxiliary column ilanged at its lower end disposed under and extending upwardly to each alternate radial girder at a point positioned approximately midway between said central mast and the outerend of the'radial girder, and horizontal lattice girders extending between and secured to the upper portions of adjacent auxiliary columns, foundations spaced to register generally with said central mast and said auxiliary supporting columns, said foundations having rigidly mounted flanges anchored therein in positions spaced to register with l flanges at the lower ends oi' said masts and auxilthe iary supporting columns, and registering apertures in said rigidly mounted flanges and the ilanges at the lower ends oi said mast and auxillary supporting columns.

4. A structurei'or housing aircraft-comprising i av central mast, a plurality of similar radially disposed tapered roof-carrying lattice girders atprising a plurality oi' similar groups oi' trapezoidal panels of progressively decreasing length each panel extending between and being supported at its opposite ends by adjacent radial girders, and auxiliary supporting means for said radial girders lconsisting oi' a vertical auxiliary column positioned under and extending upwardly to each alternate radial girder, at a 'point positioned approximately midway between said central mast and the outer end of the radial girder, and horizontal lattice girders extending between and se? cured to the upper portions of adjacent auxiliary columns,'whereby the upper edges of said horizontal lattice girders furnish auxiliary support for the lower edges of the radial girders disposed 15 between the auxiliary supporting columns.

HUGH CURRAN. 

